Dungog Mayor confident he'll be returned to the top job

Harold Johnstone is confident he will be returned as the Dungog Mayor when the newly elected council meets for the first time tomorrow night.

Dungog was the first council in the State to have its results declared after last weekend's Local Government elections.

Former Mayor Glen Wall, who was ousted on a no confidence motion over the Tillegra dam project, is also recontesting for the top job.

Councillor Johnstone says there are more things he wants to achieve as Mayor and believes he has the support within council.

"It's a particularly interesting time for Local Government in NSW with the review coming up and just seeing what suggestions that that panel has got for Local Government because financial sustainability is a challenge for not only this Council, but for the majority of councils," he said.

Councillor Glen Wall says while he would like to have the top job back, he realises he probably will not get the support tomorrow night.

"If I can get two councillors to forward it but look at this point in time given the make up of the new council, I can't see that there will be majority support for me as the mayor, but at least I've stuck by my commitment to the community," he said.

Councillor Johnstone says he will continue to fight any attempts to resurrect the Tillegra dam, if he is returned as Mayor.

Councillor Johnstone says despite being scrapped by the previous Labor Government, Tillegra dam continues to haunt the town and the council.

"Tillegra dam is like groundhog day," he said.

"It keeps popping up, so we have to wait until essentially the Lower Hunter Water plan comes out towards the the middle end of next year, to see whether a re-badged, renamed Tillegra Dam is back on the agenda,".